After being laid off from her job, Mercy found herself in a challenging situation. By choice, she has been a single mother to three children, one of whom is in high school, and she struggles to meet his educational needs. Living in a rented house, Mercy juggles multiple responsibilities by engaging in both on-farm and off-farm casual jobs. She works on other people’s plantations and does laundry for neighbors to support her family.

Drawing on her farming experience, Mercy decided to implement a maize farming project. This decision allowed her to engage in casual jobs while ensuring that she could manage her maize farm, which doesn’t require her constant presence. With support from the project, Mercy successfully implemented the maize farming project, adhering to the right procedures and practices. Now, her maize has reached physiological maturity, and she is eagerly awaiting the harvest.

“As we speak now, I can’t lack green maize to feed my family, even if am not able to secure a casual job,” Mercy shares. “Thanks to this project, it has given us hope. I am determined to do this maize farming alone without any support.”